Faculty Resources
Previous DeBartolo Endowed Chairs
2023 - 2025
Meredith Johnson (English)
After a rigorous application process, the Humanities Institute welcomed Dr. Meredith Johnson as the 2023 - 2025 Edward DeBartolo Endowed Chair.
Her appointment was the first time this position was housed under the Humanities Institute, and Dr. Johnson brought energy and determination to the team that was needed to successfully bring her vision to life.
I feel like this is a path to retention. I didn’t search the job boards this year for the first time since I arrived.
Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 Social Connection Peer-Mentoring Pilot Program
During the 2024-2025 academic year, Dr. Johnson launched an interdisciplinary, peer-mentoring initiative that served over 30 permanent non-tenure track, tenure track, and tenured faculty on multiple USF campuses. Her goal was to use the latest research on dynamic mentoring models and social connection to create an innovative and robust framework that supports productivity, retention, and presence among faculty.
This program makes me feel like I belong in Tampa Bay and USF.
She brought together and studied three cohorts of faculty from Tampa and the St. Pete campus from 12 different departments. The program consisted of meetings, workshops, and evidence-based interventions shown to promote social connection that positively correlates with employee engagement and satisfaction, increased workplace performance, and decreased business costs. Findings showed considerable gains in engagement and satisfaction when compared to the control group (scholars who did not participate in the program).
As part of her research, Dr. Johnson has published several papers and presented her research at multiple conferences that focus on organizational rhetoric. Her analysis and publications will continue even as her term as Endowed Chair has come to a close.
As an early-career faculty member, it has been amazing to have a community and learn from other members of the cohort.